Combination garment



Feb. 13, 1934. R H s 1,946,782

COMB INAT I ON GARMENT Filed Dec. 27, 1932 ILXHWQ m'UF EUTH H/LL DA V/S.

b y: gzf a Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 27, 1932 Serial No. 648,972

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a combination garment, highly desirable for use as a dress, maternity dress, maids or waitress uniform, and similar garments, although the invention may have various other applications as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the development of ladies wearing apparel, it has become extremely desirable to provide dresses, undergarments and similar articles of clothing that may be very rapidly donned, and which, by their peculiar construction, may eliminate the need of other garments. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a garment that will neatly fit not only one but various sizes of bust, waist, and hip measurements, so that one garment is equally as suitable for a plurality of differently sized figures. Obviously, this feature permits a salesroom to display more styles because a lesser number of sizes of each style need be available. Furthermore, the elimina tion of certain undergarments entirely, and the elimination of certain other undergarments as separate pieces to be put on greatly facilitates the frequent changing of clothing by a lady.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide as a combination garment, a unitary construction including a dress and a suitable undergarment of the type commonly worn with a dress but as a separate article.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a dress-like garment including an undergarment made as a part of the dress-like garment and of the character commonly referred to as step-ins.

Still a further object of this invention is the provision of a dress-like garment including as a part of the garment an undergarment of the character worn around the hips of a wearer, the upper portion of the dress-like garment being so-formed as to eliminate the need of a brassiere worn beneath the garment.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a unitary garment embodying a dress and an undergarment, and so constructed as to eliminate the need of other undergarments.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a dress-like garment of the wraparound style having overlapping front portions with adjustable means for holding them in position when in use, whereby a garment will fit anyone of several sized figures, and the garment further embodying an undergarment as a permanent part thereof.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a dress-like garment including a waist portion, a skirt portion, and an undergarment lying within the skirt portion but supported entirely by the waist portion and consequently directly from the shoulders of a user.

A still further object of this invention is the 1 provision of a combination unitary garment which, with the exception of hose, supporters, and a girdle or the like, exemplifies for many occasions all of the clothing a lady need wear.

In other words, by donning this garment, a lady is completely dressed except for the items just above-mentioned.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been above pointed out, others will bevention, showing the garment in position for use as though the same were on a person or form.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the structure shown in Figure 1 taken substantially as indicated by the line II-II.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line III- III of Figure 1.

In Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing, the garment is shown substantially as it would appear upon a wearer with the exception that the overlapping portions of the garment are spaced apart in exaggerated style for the purpose of clarity.

As shown on the drawing:

The illustrated embodiment of this invention comprises a dress-like garment of the wraparound style, the garment being open down the front, and as seen in the drawing, the right front portion 5 is lapped over the left front portion 6, although it will be clearly understood that either portion may be lapped over the other depending upon which side of the garment the most decorative bow is attached.

In this instance, the garment embodies a waist portion, generally indicated by reference numeral 7, a skirt portion, generally indicated by reference numeral 8, and an undergarment 9 which, is shown in the form of a garment commonly termed a step-in, that being perhaps the garment most customarily worn beneath a dress. The various parts and pieces of the garment are seamed together in any well-known manner, and although the garment, in this instance, is shown as embodying a single piece of material for each front portion 5 and 6 including both the waist and skirt portions, it will be obvious that two or three separate pieces of material may be sewed together to form these portions as may be desired. The step-in 9 is constructed along well known lines in general and includes the customary hip enveloping portion joined at the lower part from front to back with the usual crotch strap 10. The step-in differs from well known step-ins in the peculiar manner of its embodiment into the garment, and this will be brought out more fully later herein.

Attached to the inside of the garment at any suitable point on the right side thereof is a strap or tie ribbon 11, and a similar strap or tie ribbon 12 is attached to the free end of the left front portion 6, these tie ribbons uniting to form the bow 13 to hold the left front portion of the garment around the body of the wearer. In similar fashion, the garment is provided with the tie ribbon 15 on the exterior part of the left side, which joins with a similar tie ribbon 14 on the free end of the front portion 5 to form an external bow 16 for holding the front portion 5 lapped over the front portion 6. Obviously, if the dress is to be worn as illustrated, the tie ribbons forming the bow 16 are of a decorative nature, while-the tie ribbons forming the bow 13 may be of any desirable material regardless of its decorative value. On the other hand, all of the time ribbons may be of similar decorative material so that the dress may be worn with either the front portion 5 or 6 on the outside as may be desired by the wearer.

With reference to Figure 1, it will be seen that the waist portion of the front parts 5 and 6 is preferably formed to provide a pair of relatively large lapels 1'? which preferably flare over a goodly portion of the bosom of the garment. These lapels may be held back if so desired by any suitable fastening means, such as the well known snaps illustrated by dotted lines at 17 in Figure 1, or in any other well known manner. These lapels are sufficiently large to provide two complete thicknesses of the material of which the garment is made over the breasts of the wearer so that in practically every instance brassieres may be dispensed with when this garment is worn.

An item of extreme importance, in the present invention, is the formation and method of attachment of the undergarment 9. If the stepin or undergarment 9 was attached directly to the skirt portion 8 either at the front or the rear, or completely around the garment, the result would be an unwelcome sagging and perhaps an unwelcome flare in the skirt especially around the hips. To avoid such sagging and flare to the skirt, and render the garment substantially form-fitting and neat in appearance, the step-in 9 is only attached to the waist portion of the garment where it is carried directly from the shoulders of the user. As seen more clearly in Figure 2, the back 18 of the waist portion of the garment merges directly into the back 19 of the step-in 9. The front portion 20 of the step-in is not secured to the front portion of the garment, or in other words, to either of the front parts 5 or 6. At one side, in this instance the left side, the back 19 of the step-in is provided with a button 21 (Figure 3) and the front 20 of the step-in is preferably banded at the top as at 22 and provided with a suitable button-hole for engaging the button 21 to hold the front of the step-in in position or on the body of the user. The front 20 and back 19 of the step-in are naturally united substantially entirely therearound except for an opening indicated at 23 in Figure 1 which permits the garment to be easily donned when the front of the step-in is disengaged from the button 21.

It is important to note that, as best seen in Figure 2, the rear part 24 of the skirt 8 is preferably not secured to the back 18 of the waist portion, but for a substantial distance at the rear of the garment the upper part of the back 24 is not secured to anything. The part 24 may be formed as indicated at 25 somewhat in the form of a belt to disguise or conceal to some extent the fact that the skirt portion is not secured to the upper part of the garment in this region, and if so desired, strips of belting material may be attached to the back 24 of the skirt, or a belt worn with the garment in a well-known manner.

It is also important to note that when the garment is worn at all times there are two thicknesses of material in front and one thickness in the rear, and from the waist region toward the knees of the wearer, to a considerable distance, there are three thicknesses of material in front and two thicknesses in the rear, so that the garment will not be semitransparent when worn in the sunlight. Especially is this true when the step-in 9 is formed of the same material as is the rest of the garment.

As mentioned above, it is not essential, in the construction of this garment, to have the waist part of the front portions 5 and 6 merging directly into the skirt part, nor is it essential to have the back 18 of the waist portion and the back 19 of the step-in portion of a single piece of material. These parts may be of a plurality of pieces of material fixed together in a well known manner if so desired, the forms illustrated being more economical and simpler to make.

In operation, the present garment is extremely simple and very effective. It is simply necessary for the wearer to step one foot, then the other in the step-in portion 9, the flaps or front portions 5 and 6 being held open, then button the banded part 22 in the step-in upon the button 21. One front portion is next folded or wrapped over the step-in, in this instance the portion 6 is first wrapped over the step-in and the bow l3 tied, after which it is a simple expedient to wrap the other portion 5 in the opposite direction and form the bow 16. moving the garment it is merely necessary to untie the bow 16, untie the bow 13, release the step-in band from the button 21, and step out of the garment.

It will also be noted that the garment, due to its wrap-around construction, is adapted to fit any one of a plurality of different sized figures over a considerable range, and that the garment, with minor changes in style, is adapt able for use as a dress, lounging kimono, nurse, waitress or other type of uniform, and for many similar purposes.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that In re- I have provided a combination garment embodying as a unitary element a dress and undergarment, and constructed in such a manner that other undergarments with the exception, perhaps, of a girdle and supporters, are unnecessary when this garment is worn. It will be further noted that the construction of the garment provides for a neat appearance and substantially a form-fit which may be adjusted at will by the wearer. Furthermore, the garment is simple and economical to manufacture, pleasing in appearance, and obviously allows perfect freedom of movement by the wearer at all times.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than is necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a unitary garment, an integral waist and skirt open at the front, one front portion overlying the other when the garment is worn,

said waist and skirt being separated adjacent the rear waistline portion of the garment, and an undergarment attached to said waist adjacent the separation between said waist and skirt.

2. In a unitary garment, a waist portion, a skirt portion attached to said waist portion and free from said waist portion a part of the distance around the garment, and an undergarment attached to said Waist portion at the region of separation between said waist and skirt portions, a portion of said undergarment being free and securable to the attached part around the body of the wearer.

3. An article of wearing apparel comprising an outer garment, and an undergarment, the outer garment having a rear separation at the waist line, the undergarment being integral with the upper portion of the outer garment at said separation and free relative to the front portion of the outer garment.

4. A unitary article of wearing apparel comprising a skirt portion, a waist portion, said portions defining an outer garment, and an inner garment free at its rear from the skirt portion and at its front from the skirt and waist portions.

RUTH HILL DAVIS. 

